Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Wrapping up!

Hi everyone,

I have returned from 3+ weeks on the road with some decent results. Here's the breakdown:

Duramed Futures Tour ILOVENY Championship 79-82 MC

SunCoast Series LPGA Qualifying Prep-Palmer Course 76-76; 19th of 27

LPGA Qualifier. Rancho Mirage, CA (Mission Hills: Dinah & Palmer) 77-75 MC

I'm glad that I had the opportunity to give LPGA Qualifying one last shot after playing so strongly the 2nd half of the summer. At this point I am getting a game plan together for transitioning into a different career and will let you know what I end up doing. I have a strong interest in using my skills in event management, fund raising and team building. My hope is to end up contributing to a professional or collegiate sports organization or a university development office focusing on fund raising and alumni relations. I am excited about what the future holds and so thankful for everyone's support over these past 4+ years. It has been an AMAZING experience; I have learned so much about myself and been able to fully pursue this passion that has always peaked my interest.

As far as playing golf I will let you know what that continues to look like as well. I intend to keep playing and currently remain a professional however there are many opportunities for me to compete if I regain my amateur status. I will keep you posted on that but my primary focus remains on the career search at this point.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. More to come!

My heartfelt thanks, Friends,

Mary

Friday, September 4, 2009

Summer Synopsis and Fall preview

Hi friends,

Well, I still hope you're my friends! I have had a lot to say but not taken the time to fill you in on my results and travels. Here is a quick synopsis of the 2009 season... first in scores and then in detail:

March Futures Winter Haven 83, 82 MC=Missed Cut

April Futures Daytona Beach 82, 81 MC

May US Open Local Qualifier, South Florida 79 MC

June Futures Decatur 77, 81 MC
Futures Mason 75, 83 MC

July Futures Connecticut 74, 74 MC
Futures New Hampshire 79, 75 MC
Futures Syracuse 73, 75 MC

August Massachusetts Open 75, 74 2nd place!!!
Moonlight-Grenelefe 70 1st place!!!
Moonlight-Bridgewater 76 3rd place!!

After starting off the season slowly I began to see improvement in my scores starting in May, although my consistency wasn't quite there. The 79 at the US Open local was only 1 shot from a playoff and on a rain-soaked golf course that played close to 6,700 yds. I played really steady with bogey my worst score on any given hole. I was beginning to see improvement.

My play was hot and cold in the mid-west in June but again a few scores in the mid-70's gave me some hope that what I was working on was paying off.

My July results were very encouraging, lower scores and more consistency! The play on the Futures Tour has gotten better and better each year and scores that previously would have made the cut just weren't good enough. However, I knew I was on the right track...

After 3 weeks on the road I had one more event in New England-the Massachusetts Women's Open. I fashioned two solid rounds over a firm, tight layout in Lakeville, Massachusetts (LeBaron Hills CC). I tied for 2nd with another professional, missing a playoff for first by only one shot! Oh, so close!!

I returned to Florida with renewed spirits and had some time to soul search about what I would do this fall. Throughout the summer I began to ponder what I would do "next" in my career and had begun to have some conversations with friends and mentors about what I might do. I feel very at peace about pursuing something else besides professional golf but feel it's also time to make the most of my improved play.

Knowing that future opportunities outside of professional golf might take some time to materialize, I began to craft an end of season schedule that allowed me "one last shot" at the LPGA Tour. I'm excited about my chances but also very at peace contemplating new opportunities.

So here is what is on tap: I am currently writing you from Albany, NY where I am getting ready to play the 1st round of the final Duramed Futures Tour event of the season. I am staying with good friends Tom & Nan Lanahan and enjoying a preview of cooler fall weather. It looks to be a beautiful weekend for golf.

From here I am headed to Phoenix for a few days to visit my good friend Joanna Whitley, her 4 month old, Brooks, and husband Ken. Joanna was my travel buddy for two years on the Duramed Futures Tour. From there I am driving to Palm Springs, CA and will prepare for the LPGA Qualifier by competing in a SunCoast Tour event. I also hope to visit with my brother, sister-in-law and nephew, Colin, before the qualifier begins on September 17th. There's also a chance I will get to see college roommates Karen Loane & Kelly Decker on my trip out west. Traveling has definitely afforded me the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones, too!

I will return to Jacksonville on Tuesday, September 21st with a clearer picture of where I am headed. My heart and mind are telling me I am more than ready for the next chapter in my career but I am going to let the details play out and see what happens, God willing.

It's been a fun season, although as always full of the drama of high and low scores! I owe a ton of thanks to my family for always supporting me, my Summerfield small group and girlfriends back in Jacksonville who have encouraged me from start to finish and have continued to pray for me. I also must thank my dear friend Jura who seems to be on the same journey that I am currently. All my host families, sponsors and friends are so important to me, too!

One person who has not received enough credit is my swing coach and friend, Brad Lusenhop. Brad has helped me make some major changes starting back in March and has caddied for me a number of times this season. He is a patient and gifted teacher who has finally brought me to a place where the golf swing is SIMPLE again and he has given me the tools and knowledge to understand my tendencies. I am looking forward to continuing to work with him no matter what role the game plays in my life in the upcoming months and years.

I'm at a very relaxed, comfortable and thankful place right now. Thanks for reading and keep sending those positive thoughts and prayers my way over the next few weeks.

Always grateful,

MM

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Upcoming events

Hi Friends,

I have been busy working on my game and getting ready to kick off the "busy" season! I had the pleasure of working with my coach, Tom Lynch, during his visit for 3 days earlier this week and looking forward to upcoming events. Here is what is in store:

March 9-11 Florida Women's Open www.suncoastseries.com

March 20-22 Duramed Futures Tour-Winter Haven, FL www.duramedfuturestour.com

April 3-5 Duramed Futures Tour-Daytona Beach, FL www.duramedfuturestour.com

A recent visit from Connecticut friend, Jimmy Fitzpatrick and his friend Brad (Jimmy is an aspiring PGA Tour player and a buddy I have played a lot of golf with over the past few years) helped to get the competitive juices flowing.

Will report with upcoming results! Thanks for reading,

Mary

Friday, February 13, 2009

A win on the Moonlight!!

Hi Friends,

A quick update with more to come...I shot 75 today and won a one day Moonlight Tour event at Huntington Hills! The link won't be up for long but check out the following link for results and a swing video.

More details soon,

Mary

Friday, January 30, 2009

A New Year

Hi friends,

I cannot believe it is almost February. Wow, how time flies.

I had a busy and restful (a forced rest :) holiday season. My brother, Andy, and sister-in-law, Mary, joined my mom and I for Christmas for a few days and we enjoyed some family time including trips to Tampa for a Tampa Bay Lightening Game and a day trip to St. Augustine. Mom and I headed north to Cleveland, OH for a few days right after the new year for a baby shower for my sister-in-law. In between all of the family activities I was working part-time at TPC Sawgrass and doing some substitute teaching. A sinus infection sidelined me for a few days as well as an unexpected cat bite that put me on antibiotics for ten days. Too much excitement!

After our return from Cleveland I started to put on my game face :). I learned that I have "C" status on the Duramed Futures Tour which should allow me to play in every event that I want. With that in mind I began my workouts and practices again with focus. In this vein, I decided to supplement my strength program with spinning classes in the gym. It's challenging but very satisfying to burn 500 calories in an hour or less! I am thankful for my friend Deb who calls me at 4:45AM so that I can be at the gym on time for my 5:30AM class on Tuesday and Thursdays!

My coach, Tom Lynch, was in town for a few days this week on his way to Orlando and will be returning for a few more days before he departs for Pennsylvania. His visit has really helped me refine some things on which I am working and getting me prepared for the season ahead. I plan to head to Orlando on Sunday, February 8th for my first event of the season on the SunCoast Tour. After that I plan to play in the Florida Women's Open in early March and the first two Duramed Futures Tour events in Florida (Winter Haven and Daytona Beach) in March and early April.

I will keep you posted on the rest of the winter and spring as my schedule comes together but I do expect to spend most of my time based out of Jacksonville this year. For various reasons, it's been tough to move up north every spring and then move south again in the fall. Bottom line, I am trying to stretch my budget as far as possible and being in one place for the whole year makes a lot of sense. I will continue to work at TPC Sawgrass part-time and commute to Orlando to play in a lot of SunCoast Tour events.

I am looking forward to a fruitful season and an opportunity to compete. I am especially excited about the prospect of qualifying for the US Women's Open which will be held at my home course where I learned to play the game, Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Personally, I feel very refreshed after some time at home and an opportunity to get more invested in my church community and friendships in Jacksonville. I am very thankful for two groups of women who I am currently participating in a bible study with...the women of Christ Church and the women of Neptune Baptist Church. They have helped me "stay the course" and reminded me of where my hope and purpose is found.

Looking forward to sharing the year with you! More soon...

Mary

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Q-school review

Hi everyone,

As reported last week, I played great at Futures Qualifying in early November. What a boost of confidence! I knew things were coming together as my play was getting progressively better since early September. Here are some of my observations from the week.

Relaxation
After playing so much golf over the last few months I knew it was important to be loose and relaxed before each round. If I have access to one, a hot tub has been really helpful in keeping my muscles warm and limber. Stretching each morning has also helped me as well as using a foam roller for self massage (it can be torture at first as you "iron" out the tightness but well worth it!). The first round I came out of the blocks slow and it took me awhile to get settled. I had stretched that morning but I had not taken advantage of the hot tub. Needless to say, the hot tub became part of my morning routine starting the second round.

Driving to the course each morning I felt very loose, warm and free of tension. I feel this calmness helped me to transition well to the course each day.

Short game/putting
The first round was a lackluster putting round for me. When I am in the middle of an event it's always been my opinion to make small changes, if any at all. As I practiced post-round the first day, I noticed a small detail of my putting routine that I had neglected. Typically, as I take my practice putting strokes, I am looking at my target or the break point of the putt where I want the putt to die. Well, I caught myself looking down at the ball during my practice strokes. I tweaked this small detail and was able to get back on track with my putting over my last three rounds. I went from 33 putts the first round to 25 the second day (outstanding!), 27 the 3rd round and 29 the final round. I am glad I recognized this small change and adjusted quickly!

My short game was really solid all week. I was able to successfully get up and down 76.6% of the time. Very solid! I felt like a key for me was really reacting to the conditions and going with the shot or club I was feeling in my first assessment. I felt like my decisions were "athletic," like how a shooter reacts to a basket or a pitcher reacts to a hitter. All I did was focus on what I saw (low shot, high shot, soft shot, etc) and went with my gut. I was really excited about the results as I trusted in my instincts.

Belief/tunnel vision
Although it took me some time to settle down on the front nine in the first round, I felt like after getting through that short spell I continued to really believe in my process (which I have perfected thanks to my coaches and Dr. Fabbri, my sport psychologist). All I did was get my yardage, see the shot I wanted to hit and stayed committed to that shot until the ball landed. Sounds simple but it has taken some discipline and training to do it every single time. A reassurance that I should not give up on my process was on the 10th hole of the 1st round. I stood at 6 over par after 9 holes and was a little fired up because I knew I could do better. I hit a great drive on the 10th and had 8 iron into the green. I watched the ball sail towards the green, take one bounce and hit the pin. It didn't go in for eagle but it left me a short putt for birdie. I converted and was able to get back on track to finish the first round respectably, playing my last 9 holes in only one over par.

Another key was also beliving in my OWN game and playing within myself. For example, on my 15th hole, during the first round, I had a key decision to make. It's a longish par 5 with a a hazard to negotiate. If I don't hit a great drive or it's into the wind I have to lay up to the hazard. I could allow myself to get frustrated as I see my competitiors advance it over the hazard and not have to lay up but I STUCK TO MY GAMEPLAN. I had a solid par on that hole, sticking to my process.

I felt like I was able to deflect potential distractions successfully this week. There can be so many distractions like my own expectations, other players and the list goes on! I felt at peace, calm and able to put aside these potential road bumps.

Fun
Bottom line is that it was a fun week for me. I enjoyed each round, peservered when presented with obstacles and never gave up. What a great way to end a season and begin a new one.

What's next
I am back in Jacksonville and beginning to figure out what my off-season plans are. I accepted a part-time position working in the golf shop at TPC Sawgrass and am thrilled to join the team there. I will be continuing to play and practice out there as well. I also plan on doing some substitute teaching and working for another company on short term projects as they become available. I would like to try to get to Orlando once a month to play on the SunCoast tour and keep my game sharp. I hope to compete again shortly after the new year. I will let you know about my schedule as it comes together.

I am excited for the 2009 season as this will be one of the first times that I can really craft my schedule. I should get into every Futures tour event, including the high purse invitationals. In addition, I am also very excited about the fact that the US Women's Open will be contested at my home course where I learned how to play the game, Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Very exciting things lay ahead!

I will post more soon. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I am certainly thankful for all the well wishes and support now, and over the years,

Mary

Saturday, November 8, 2008

A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH

Hi everyone,

I have some great news to share! I had a great week at Duramed Futures Tour Qualifying! I shot rounds of 79-72-71-76 to finish T68th out of 312 players. This finish gives me great status for the tour next year and also gives me a tremendous boost of confidence! I will write more details soon about the week. Looking forward to sharing more with you.

Until later,

Mary